The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and in particular, to an improvement of information transfer that is carried out to a specific communication target when a specific event occurs on an image forming apparatus (a copying machine, a facsimile unit or a printer) connected to a network.
Copying machines, facsimile units and printers (hereinafter referred to as image forming apparatuses as a general term) are connected to a network to be at work, and some of them are provided with a function to communicate the condition of the apparatus main body to a specific communication target (specific user, service center and others) automatically.
On the image forming apparatus equipped with the aforementioned communication function, the specific event determined in advance has been communicated automatically to the specific communication target determined in advance, in the function. However, it has been impossible for the function to decide whether to communicate or not, and to change the items to be communicated and the target for the communication.
Further, it has been impossible for a person who received the communication from the image forming apparatus to confirm the contents of the communication in detail.